


The Potter Twins and the Chamber of Secrets

by InkedRose



Series: The Twins Who Lived [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fanfic, Fanfiction, HP - Freeform, HP Fanfiction, HP fanfic, Harry Potter - Freeform, harry potter fanfic, harry potter fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 02:37:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14886023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkedRose/pseuds/InkedRose
Summary: Upon discovering the truth of her identity, Aralynn Potter must learn to cope with her newfound fame, knowing her biological parents are dead, and having a twin she had only just met the prior year. Her second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry proves to be its own challenge; with a tougher curriculum, changed treatment from her peers, and fresh threat of danger brewing within the walls. Aralynn must learn to overcome her fears and anxieties, while still holding true to the person that she is in her heart. When rumor that the deadly Chamber of Secrets has been opened, and people are hurt; Aralynn, her twin brother Harry, and their friends must work tirelessly to figure out the source of the newest peril - and defeat it before it is too late.





	1. Contrition

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are love and motivation.

It was a luminous and rather sweltering mid-summer day in late July. The sun sat high in the sky, casting hot rays unto the tallgrass prairie surrounding a large, misshapen house in the center of it. The house, known to its residents, the Weasley family, as 'The Burrow,' was unusually quiet. The Burrow being quiet generally signified that there was troublemaking afoot. There were far too many people, mainly children, living inside for there to ever be a moment of silence. Even during the late hours of the night, the sounds of bustling feet could always be heard. Yet, there was no noise. Most of the family had been outside; tending to the garden or otherwise enjoying the heat of summer, sure, but for there to be silence? Silence was highly unusual. Though, it didn't last very long. Near to the top of the house came the sound of an explosion—similar to that of fireworks going off. The matriarch of the family, Molly Weasley, who had been feeding the chickens, went bustling inside. She tottered to the bottom of the house's several staircases—up them could be heard frantic shuffling.

"FREDRICK GIDEON WEASLEY!" shouted Molly Weasley furiously. "GEORGE FABIAN WEASLEY – WHAT ON  _EARTH_  ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?"

"Nothing, Mum!" called George, trying his best not to cough through his words.

"Just a bit of schoolwork that's backfired!" added Fred.

Molly almost relaxed until she realized that no summer schoolwork would require any form of magic, dangerous potion-making,  _or_  explosives. " _SCHOOLWORK?_ " she bellowed. "Oh—we'll just see about  _that!_ " The woman then lifted up her skirt so that she wouldn't trip over its hem as she went up the stairs. Fred and George both knew that their mother meant  _business_  when she actually took the time to confront them.

Aralynn Potter, who wasn't a Weasley but still a member of the family in her own right, stepped out of the bedroom that she shared with Ron. She had moved out of the way just in time when Fred and George came barreling down the hallway—singed and halfway blown up. They were trying to get away from their mother before she could find them and kill them herself. Aralynn shut the door, passing the woman who, even though furious, stopped to greet her cheerily. Aralynn loved her family, there was no doubt about that, but sometimes she simply needed to be alone. It was one of those times.

Aralynn walked down the staircases, passing several hanging photographs of Weasley past and present. She paused when she noticed her photograph. On the wall in one of the halls, Molly had set up her own family tree—which was simply framed photos hanging in an arranged way to show the evolution of the generations. At the top were pictures of both Molly and Arthur Weasley's great-grandparents. The tree continued, following through generations, until it stopped at the most recent batch. The latest generation was that of Molly and Arthur's children: Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. Yet, Aralynn's photograph sat next to Ron's. The date of her birth, which had been carved in the wood, had not yet been updated. It still read: '1 March.' It had since been revealed that Aralynn's  _true_  birthday was the thirty-first of July.

As Aralynn stood, looking at the family tree, she felt the pang of guilt in her chest.  _I don't belong up there_ , she thought. After all, she wasn't a member of the family, and the tree  _was_  a marker of the Weasley generations. Instead, she was a Potter; the daughter of the late James and Lily, who had died when she was only one-year-old—twin sister of Harry Potter, who she hadn't met more than a few months ago. With a scowl on her face, she knocked her picture from the tree and chose to ignore it once it lay broken on the floor. She continued down the stairs, and was almost out of the house, until she was stopped by the glimpse of a clock hanging on the wall.

It was another creation of Molly's. A clock whose hands were made of spoons—one that didn't tell time. Instead, it told the viewer where each member of the family was. In the dip of the spoons were the faces of the Weasleys. All of them were pointing to 'HOME,' aside from Arthur's—whose was resting on 'WORK.' Aralynn noticed her spoon, and briefly contemplated ripping it off of the clock. Instead, she moved past it and went outside. She moved through the tallgrass until she came to the clearing that she and Ron had discovered when they were seven. From that day, and on, it had become their favorite spot. Though, neither had visited it since returning home for their summer holidays.

Aralynn stepped up to a boulder in the clearing, sat before it, and used it to support her back. She rummaged through the pocket of her shorts and pulled out a folded-up photograph. She opened it and flattened it on the ground before her. It was a photograph of her and Ron—the day they had discovered the clearing. Their backs had been facing the camera, and they were holding hands.  _When times were simpler_ , thought Aralynn.  _Before I found out the truth_.

During the last days of Aralynn's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Aralynn, Ron, Harry, and Hermione Granger had set off to stop someone from stealing the Philosopher's Stone, which could grant the user immortal life and untamed riches. They had thought, for most of the school year, that their Potions professor—Severus Snape—was the one hoping to procure it and bring back to power the greatest dark wizard the world had ever known: Lord Voldemort. Harry and Aralynn had been the only ones able to continue on the journey through its completion. The one trying to gain access to the Stone, however, was not Snape—but Quirinus Quirrell, the school's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at the time. Down in the chamber, Lord Voldemort had revealed that Aralynn was, in fact, the daughter of Lily and James Potter. A couple he had murdered on Halloween night, ten years prior. Aralynn had spent the majority of her time at Hogwarts wrestling with her identity. While she was relieved to finally know the truth; she was also burdened by it.

Since school had ended, Aralynn had been struggling to cope with the truth. Learning such heavy and important information was undoubtedly life-changing. The effects of such hadn't yet been seen or felt… except for when it came to her own thoughts. She was thankful for knowing, but she continued to feel troubled. The Weasleys had so selflessly taken her in and adopted her as their own when Albus Dumbledore requested it, and she was grateful to them, but she couldn't help but feel like a plague on their lives. They had raised her the same as their own children—loved her with the same ferocity… but she hated herself for being the one thing to put them in such a position, to begin with. Sometimes, she wished that she could turn back time and stop her birth from happening.

The wind picked up, swaying the tallgrass with it. The air came and brushed Aralynn's hair away from her face. She closed her eyes and tried to envision her soul being swept away with the breeze. Her summer had been spent alone. She felt too ashamed of herself to really be around her family. She wondered if they had noticed and had been missing her in some way because of it. Then again, maybe she wasn't so transparent. They very well may not have noticed—or maybe they didn't care. Perhaps they, too, felt the way she had in thinking that she was a burden. Maybe they were yearning to get rid of her. If they were, she wouldn't blame them.

Loud, clumsy shuffling sounded through the grass. After a moment, Ronald Weasley had shoved his way through the prairie until he found the clearing. He had suspected that he would find Aralynn there. She had been gone so often lately. He knew that she was avoiding them, but he didn't know why. He had come to finally confront her, but the way she looked sitting in the sun made him stop in his tracks. She looked so sad—overcome with it, really. He ambled over to her, picking pieces of nature from his hair. He sat at her side. He had noticed the picture in front of her but decided not to acknowledge it. "I've been looking for you everywhere, Ara."

Aralynn brought her knees close to her chest. "You found me."

"What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking."

"About what?"

Aralynn didn't respond. She simply continued to watch the grass waving wildly in the wind. Ron reached out to touch her arm. Still, she refused to look at him.

"Ara, what's going on with you? You've been dodgy all summer. Is it him? You-Know-Who, I mean?"

Aralynn sighed sharply and shut her eyes. "No, Ron."

"What is it, then?"

"It's nothing."

"Ara, I'm just trying to help—"

"—It's  _ME!_ " she exploded. "Okay, Ron? That's it – it's  _me_. My entire life has been nothing but one, big, miserable lie and I can't help but feel that I've been nothing but a burden to this entire family since the day I arrived! Molly and Arthur never asked for this! They never asked to have a baby who wasn't theirs pawned off of them!"

Ron went quiet. He hadn't expected Aralynn to go off on him like that. "Molly and Arthur?" he questioned. "Ara, no matter what, they're still your parents."

Aralynn buried her hands in her hair. She was fighting back tears. "I know, Ron. I'm just… I don't know what I am."

"A mess," said Ron with a teasing lilt to his voice, "but you're still family, Aralynn. Nothing about that has changed. Having a different last name and parents aren't going to make that go away."

"I've never felt so alone."

"I bet there's someone else who has been feeling that way," said Ron.

Aralynn looked at him.

"Harry."

The girl chuckled. "I know, but… he hasn't answered my letters all summer."

"Hasn't answered mine, either," Ron told her. "D'you think he's mad at us?"

She shook her head. "No. The Dursleys are probably hoarding them so none of his 'freaky little friends' can get ahold of him."

Ron picked up the photograph that was resting in the grass. He took Aralynn's hand, opened it, and laid the picture in her palm. "See this? It's us. Me and you—family."

Aralynn looked at the image of them together for a long moment. Ron was right. No matter what, the Weasleys would always be her family. They were all she had ever known. Maybe they  _didn't_  love her any less than before. Maybe they loved her  _more_  for it.

"I think you should talk to Mum about this," Ron suggested. "I don't know everything that's going on with you, but I can see that it's bad. If anyone would be able to answers your questions, it's her. Dad, too. You could hold a whole family meeting if you wanted to."

* * *

Holding a family meeting was exactly what Aralynn did. After supper—the first she had actually spent with them since summer started—she asked that they all gather in the living room because she had something she wanted to discuss with them. While she waited for them to file in, she paced back and forth nervously. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to ask if they still cared about her after all. The thought of being rejected by the only people she had thought of as family for ten years of her life made her want to vomit. While she waited, she even considered running away.  _I could just go_ , she thought.  _I could leave and never turn back. Skip going back to Hogwarts and facing all of my friends – facing Harry. Yeah, I could. I could just disappear. It might be better for everyone that way_.

Unfortunately, her timeframe for running away had gone. The last person to enter the room was Arthur Weasley. He sat on the couch with his wife and held her hand. They looked extremely nervous. What did they think that Aralynn was going to say?

She stood awkwardly before them, rubbing her hands together. They waited patiently for her to find her voice. "Okay," she began and then stopped again. What  _was_  she going to say? She wasn't sure she knew how to form the words. "Since Hogwarts—since, ah… since I found out that I'm really the daughter of James and Lily Potter, I've been having a lot of… problems. I've been feeling guilty and ashamed."

Molly was despondent. "Why, Aralynn? Why would you  _ever_  feel that way?"

Aralynn returned to pacing. It helped calm her nerves. She could think more clearly when she was in action. "It's about you… or,  _for_  you. All of you. I… feel like I've been a burden on you all. I mean, I was just this orphaned baby that was shoved onto you. You probably didn't want it—want  _me_ , and I wouldn't blame you for that. You were forced to take care of a child that wasn't yours. I can't help but think that you were bitter about that in some way. That you were angry… not  _at_  me, but  _about_  me. Everything has changed now. I know what  _really_  happened, and now… I want to know how you feel, I guess. I want to know if I  _was_  or  _have_  been a burden. I want to know if you all still  _care_  about me and think of me as family."

Arthur stood up and walked over to Aralynn. He placed both of his hands on her shoulders and looked deeply into her green eyes. "Aralynn, we have never felt that you were a burden on us. Molly and I agreed to take you in the moment Hagrid came to our doorsteps. We never had a second thought. From the moment Molly held you in her arms— _I_ held you in  _my_  arms; you were  _family_. There's no going back from that. Family doesn't give up on each other."

Molly was the next to approach. She took Aralynn into her arms and held her tightly against her bosom. "Arthur is right, Aralynn. You've never made us second guess adopting you. We knew that you were a Potter from the very beginning, sweetheart. I think you forget that sometimes. We didn't learn the truth at the same time you did. We already  _knew_. Being a Potter has never stopped you from being my daughter, Aralynn.  _Our_  daughter."

"It won't stop you from being our sister, either," said George.

Fred nodded. His eyebrows were still singed. "You're one of us either way, Gingerbread Head."

Aralynn chuckled. Yet another silly nickname for the color of her hair—a color they also happened to share. She didn't mind it. She knew it was all in good fun, and to her, it was rather endearing—a testament showing her that they cared.

Ginny bounced up and pranced over to give Aralynn a big hug. "I still love you, Ara."

Even Percy seemed to be affected by Aralynn thinking that they no longer loved her. He didn't stand or make any grand gestures to express his feelings. Still, he showed his soft side with a simple mantra: "Once a Weasley, always a Weasley."

Ron came over as well. He leaned close to Aralynn's ear. "Told you nothing has changed."

Molly took a step back and cupped Aralynn's face within her hands. "I am so sorry that you've been feeling like this, love. I want you to know that you should never have any reason to feel like you're invading our lives. We welcomed you into it. We  _want_  you here. Your father and I have often agreed that you are one of the  _best_  things that have ever happened to us. We would never trade you for the world."

Fred and George had gotten back to their troublemaking. While Molly was  _trying_  to console Aralynn, they had been toying with a Dungbomb they must have purchased from Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmeade. They accidentally set it off and filled the entire bottom floor with the most putrid, nauseating smell. Molly turned sharply on her heel to glower at them. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "If only I could trade one of  _you_  in! Better yet – the  _pair!_ "

Fred and George smiled sheepishly at her. Before Molly could make another move, they bolted out the door to try and escape her. However, she had followed after them. Those remaining in the living room looked between each other, shrugged, and went following after them. They all ended up outside, where it had apparently been raining for some time. The front lawn had become a mud pit. Percy was the only one of them who didn't go past the door.

While running from his mother, George had scooped up a wad of mud, formed it into a ball, and thrown it at Fred. His twin had successfully evaded it. They had then taken up a brutal mudball fight. Molly was waving her arms erratically. " _ENOUGH!_ " she cried. "ENOUGH OF THIS!"

With a miscalculated throw, Fred had managed to belt Molly right in the face with a mudball. Everyone outside stopped dead in their tracks and thought, surely, they would be heinously killed for that action. Molly stood dormant, shocked. She wiped the mud off of her face and stared at her dirty hands for a dangerously long time. Then, with slow movements, she scooped a ball of mud into her own hand and threw it right at George. She was  _laughing_.

Ron and Aralynn stared at each other in disbelief. Was  _their_  mother really throwing balls of mud at her twin sons? If there was one thing they knew that Molly Weasley hated, it was dirt. However, in the rain and mud, Molly seemed to throw her inhibitions to the wind—at least for  _one_  night. The entire family—Percy even threw one or two—erupted into a mudball fight that lasted until well past midnight. Once it was over, Molly had everyone hang their muddy clothes up on a line outside so that she could tend to them in the morning. They filed back into the house, in nothing but their underwear, and took turns showering. Once they were clean, they changed into their pajamas and got ready for bed.

Ron was asleep as soon as he hit the pillow. Aralynn had decided to stay up for a while. She sat in the sill of one of their windows, looking out into the cloudy night. The moon was hidden by the dark storm clouds. Thankfully, it had stopped raining. Aralynn had written Harry one more letter—her final attempt at contacting him for the summer. If he failed to reply, she and Ron would need to think of a way to get to him. He had seemed so eager to stay in contact, and it didn't seem like him to go silent. Aralynn scratched underneath Amete's beak a few times before she sent her off. She offered the owl a nice, dead mouse as an incentive. She then tucked the letter into her beak and watched her fly into the distance.

 _Harry_ , she thought.  _I hope you're well._


	2. Liberation

It was the thirty-first of July. The sun had circled the earth yet again, and Aralynn Potter was now twelve-years-old. It would take some time for Aralynn to get used to the fact that her birthday wasn't celebrated on the first of March, as it had been for as long as she could remember. She supposed that it was one of the many sacrifices that came with learning the truth. In honor of celebrating her true birthday, her adoptive mother and father had gone to great lengths to make the day seem welcoming, even if only a tiny bit. However, Aralynn couldn't exactly focus on the festivities. Frankly, she wasn't in a very celebratory mood. Harry still had not responded to the letter she had written him. When Amete had returned from her journey, Aralynn was hoping that she would have come bearing a letter from Harry. Unfortunately, she did not. The owl had felt quite guilty and kept pecking at Aralynn's shoulder to apologize.

Despite the lack of contact with her brother; Aralynn suspected that she wouldn't feel very jolly, either way. The day was meant to be celebrated with the person she shared it with, and yet, she could not. It was not her birthday alone that was happening. It was Harry's, too, and it felt an injustice to pretend that he didn't belong there with her. Aralynn wanted nothing more than to celebrate her birthday with her twin brother. She wished he could be there—wished there was something that she could do.

Then again, perhaps there  _was_  something she could do.

Molly Weasley came rushing over with a large plate stacked with eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes. She placed it down before Aralynn. She stepped back and rubbed her hands together eagerly. "What do you think?" she asked. "How is it?"

Aralynn smiled sheepishly at Molly. "It's wonderful, Mum. Thank you."

"How does it feel?" asked Molly. "The day, I mean. I know it's not what you're used to, but your father and I have been trying as hard as possible to make it  _feel_  the same. Before he went off to work, that is. So, how is it?"

 _Should I lie?_  thought the girl. "It's taking some getting used to," Aralynn admitted.

Molly saddened. "Oh, well, of course."

Aralynn thought quickly of how to rectify her statement. "Not because of anything you have or haven't done. It's only because… well, Harry isn't here."

The woman ran her fingers through Aralynn's hair. "I'm sure it mustn't feel right to celebrate your birthday without your brother. Have you heard from him?"

Aralynn shook her head. "Not a word."

Ron came waltzing into the kitchen. "I haven't heard from him, either, Mum."

Molly looked concerned. "Well, perhaps if he doesn't write back by Friday, we'll go and get him. How does that sound?"

 _Friday?_  Aralynn thought.  _That's too far away!_

"Sounds like a great plan, Mum," said Aralynn. "I don't think he would spend the entire summer without talking to us. It's not like him."

"I will speak to your father once I see him," said Molly. "Whenever that may be. The poor man has been working himself to death!" She shook her head and then pointed at Ron. "Go and get your brothers. Ginny, too. Tell them breakfast is ready."

Ron obeyed and went to fetch Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny. The five of them came downstairs, sat at the table, and began piling food onto their plates. Ginny paused in the middle of plating a sausage to smile brightly at her sister. "Happy birthday, Aralynn! Will Harry join us?" She almost sounded excited at the thought.

Aralynn offered a small smile. "Thank you, Ginny… and no, I don't think he will be."

Ginny frowned. "Why not?" She looked up to Molly. "Mum?"

Molly hesitated. "Well, Ginny, from what I've heard—Harry and Aralynn's aunt and uncle aren't particularly pleasant people. They know of the magical world, but they don't approve. I don't think that they would allow Harry to come celebrate with us."

"Well, that isn't fair!" exclaimed Ginny.

"No," Aralynn agreed. "It isn't. Neither is the fact that Harry is living with them."

Molly turned. "What do you mean?"

Aralynn looked down at her plate and gritted her teeth. "Think about, Mum. Dumbledore had me sent here—with such lovely and wonderful people, but Harry? Harry got the short end of the stick by being sent to live with the Dursleys. I know that Dumbledore has his reasons, but it doesn't seem right. Harry has suffered more than I have, and still  _continues_  to. It shouldn't be like that."

Molly walked over to her and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "I know it isn't, Aralynn, but Dumbledore has his reasons for doing what he does. It's best not to question him."

"Isn't it?" Aralynn retorted. "Harry is stuck in his own version of Azkaban, Mum.  _Shouldn't_  we question those choices? Even if they came from Dumbledore?"

"No," said Molly quickly. "I don't think that would be wise. Eat your breakfast."

The conversation was done. There was nothing more Molly Weasley would allow Aralynn to say. When the woman wandered away, she turned towards Ron. "I don't think we can wait until Friday to make sure that Harry is okay," she said. "We have to do something.  _Now_."

Ron frowned. "Now?" he asked. "I'm eating breakfast…"

Aralynn glared at him. "As in  _today_ , numpty."

Ron then perked up. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Well, what can we do?"

"We don't have time to think about it right now. Not while Mum is around. We'll talk later. Meet in the clearing?"

Ron shrugged. Aralynn wondered if he was even paying attention to her, considering there was food around. "Sure," he said. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Morning came and went, and when it was the afternoon, Aralynn slipped out of the house to wait for Ron in the clearing. She was suspicious that he hadn't been paying attention to her after all, considering she had been waiting nearly an hour. Before long, he shoved his way through the tallgrass. He was completely covered in dirt. She turned on him. "Where have you been!?"

Ron raised his hands. "Merlin's beard, Aralynn, don't attack me! I was going to come sooner, but Mum had us de-gnoming the garden. She was looking for you, actually."

Aralynn shook her head. "Just come and sit."

He moved over and sat next to her, brushing the dirt from his clothes as best he could. "What did you want to meet here for?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Harry."

"What about him?"

"Well, he hasn't responded to our letters, Ron, has he?"

"Well… no."

"Exactly," said Aralynn. "There's something wrong. I can feel it. Harry wouldn't go this long without contacting us. He was so excited to be able to keep in contact, and what? Silence? No, there's something off. We have to go check on him."

Ron pulled a biscuit from his pocket and began eating it. He shrugged slightly and eyed her. "Mum said she and Dad will get him on Friday if he doesn't answer by then."

"That's in a  _week_ , Ron. We can't wait that long.  _I_  can't wait that long. I have to make sure that Harry is  _okay_."

"I'm sure he's fine, Ara. Maybe the Dursleys made him lock Hedwig up. Who knows?"

Aralynn glowered at him. "He'd still be getting  _our_  letters, Ronald. He'd find a way to reply."

The boy sighed. "Why are you being so stubborn about this?"

Aralynn shook her head. "Why d'you think, Ron? I feel guilty! I feel absolutely terrible that I've been fortunate enough to live with a family who  _loves_  me, and  _cares_  for me. Harry doesn't have that. He finds out that he  _actually_  has living family who isn't going to treat him like  _garbage_ , and what happens? He's separated from her. He's forced to continue living with the Dursleys, and I'm here… with you guys. Perhaps he isn't answering because he's angry with me, and I wouldn't blame him. I think I'd be angry, too, if I were in his position."

Ron was frowning at Aralynn. "I think he'd tell you if he was angry."

"I don't know," Aralynn said. "Maybe he would, and if he would, it's all the more reason to be worried. I don't think he'd spend his entire holiday avoiding the people he  _wants_  to be around."

"Well, we can't really go and get him, Ara."

Aralynn bit her lip. "Maybe we could."

"Yeah? How?  _Floo Powder?_  Be reasonable."

"No, not Floo Powder, Ron." She stared at him, but he was still clueless. "The  _car_."

Ron gaped. "The  _car?_  Ara, neither of us knows how to drive!"

"No," Aralynn nodded, "but Fred and George do. Dad's taught them. I bet we can easily convince them to help us, considering it falls within the category of massive rule-breaking. They'll do anything for a bit of liveliness!"

Ron looked anxious. "I dunno, Ara. This seems really risky. What if Mum finds out?"

Aralynn rolled her eyes. "So, what if she does? She'll yell at us, but she'll quickly recover considering that we'll have a guest. Especially when the guest would be  _Harry_."

"You're becoming as troublesome Fred and George."

"No, I'm not," Aralynn denied. "I'm just worried about my brother."

"Well, you're barmy," said Ron, but underneath his words, he was smiling. "Let's do it."

Aralynn pulled Ron into an embrace. "Thank you!"

Ron's ears went red. "Well, don't thank me yet. We still have to convince the twins."

Asking Fred and George to do something that was both dangerous, and foolish, wasn't difficult to accomplish. Ron wasn't expecting them to be  _so_  eager, but Aralynn knew better. As soon as she went up to them, and began trying to convince them, their eyes lit as brightly as Hogwarts's Christmas tree.

"Are you joking?" laughed Fred. "That sounds wicked!"

"Absolutely brilliant," agreed George.

"You're mad, Ara," said Fred.

George laughed. "Definitely mad."

"I think we've had a bad influence on her," Fred said to George.

Together, they grinned. " _Excellent_."

Aralynn laughed. "Make sure you don't fall asleep. Once Mum has gone to bed, we'll be able to sneak out and go. I have Harry's address written down. I'll give it to you both before we leave. Are you sure you'll be able to get there?"

George waved his hand. "I'm sure we'll be able to figure it out. Don't worry so much."

Fred nodded. "Yeah, we'll figure it out!"

"Well, that's comforting," said Aralynn sarcastically. "Make sure you're ready as  _soon_  as Mum is completely asleep. I'll listen by the bedroom to make sure she won't be woken up."

George and Fred high-fived each other. They had enough excitement to go around. Ron was feeling skeptical, but still confident enough to go through with it. Aralynn wasn't feeling anything other than a sense of righteousness. This  _was_  the right thing to do. It wasn't for her, but for Harry. She wanted to make sure that her brother was okay and show him what it could be like to be around people who care about him outside of school. She only hoped that, when they came for him, he would be well.

* * *

Once Aralynn heard her mother head to bed, she crept out of her bedroom, tiptoed to her parents' bedroom, and sat beside their door. She stayed there, just listening for the sounds that were happening inside. Molly hadn't quite gone to sleep yet, but Aralynn could tell based off her rustling that she was getting close to that point. It was after nearly two hours did Aralynn hear the woman beginning to snore. She waited a while longer, just to ensure that she would stay asleep given any noise was made.

Aralynn then made her way to Fred and George's bedroom, and knocked a few times. They answered, completely dressed, and made their way out to the car. She then went to go get Ron, who had failed his one task by falling asleep. He woke, however, when she whipped him with a pillow. "Ow!" he cried. "That  _hurt_ , Ara."

"Well, you shouldn't have fallen asleep," Aralynn said with a shrug.

They joined Fred and George in the car. Aralynn slipped into the backseat and drew in a deep breath. "I  _really_  hope this doesn't wake Mum."

"Me too," Ron said with a frown on his face.

George turned the key, and the engine roared to life. They all sat perfectly still, just waiting for the moment that Molly Weasley would come bustling outside to wring all of their necks. Thankfully, that moment never came. They were in the clear. George rose the car into the air, triggered the invisibility cloak, and set off for Surrey.

Aralynn sat with her chin resting on the car's door, watching the clouds that sat below. She kept thinking of Harry, wondering if, and hoping, he was safe and well. It was an anxiety-inducing situation; going to rescue someone that may or may not have been in peril. The silence would have been maddening if she hadn't been so deep in thought. She reflected on her first year at Hogwarts, remembering all that she had faced, both with her friends and alone. She had spent so much of the year questioning herself, and her place in the world. She hoped, more than anything else, that she would feel more at home this time around. At least she would now be aware of her true identity, even if she didn't have all the facts. All that mattered to her was that she would be able to spend her time with the twin brother she had been robbed of ever knowing.

The more she reflected, the angrier she found herself becoming at the situation that she and her brother had been forced into. She was also angry with Dumbledore—and angry with herself. She didn't think it was fair that she was able to live such a cushy life while Harry was treated worse than a caged dog. Why would Dumbledore, such a great and powerful wizard who claimed to care so much, separate them? Why would he allow Harry to live in such a horrible situation—one that was abusive? Perhaps not physically, but undeniably mentally and emotionally. She wished that she could trade places with her brother. If she could, she would gladly withstand the Dursleys and their backward attempt at caregiving so that Harry could feel the warmth and love of a  _true_  home.

There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for Aralynn's life being full of fortune, while Harry's was full of tragedy. Her brother had grown up knowing that he was orphaned—while she grew up believing that she was safe within the loving arms of her biological family. That may not have been the case, but it didn't change the fact that, nonetheless, she  _had_  been safe within the loving arms of  _family_. At the very least, Harry deserved to know what that felt like. She vowed to do her best to fill that which was missing in him and his life.

Below came the sight of a town, full of modest-sized houses that were no further than a few feet apart away from each other. Aralynn leaned towards the front seat, looking between her brothers. "Are we in Surrey?"

Fred nodded. "Little Whinging."

Aralynn looked down to the houses again, smiling softly. She was now so close to her brother. She could hardly believe it. "D'you know the road?"

"Privet Drive, right?" asked George, squinting at a street sign. "Seems we're above Magnolia Crescent."

Aralynn glanced at the street signs and pointed to Privet Drive. "There's his street. Number Four."

George found the Dursleys' house, hovered above where they believed Harry's bedroom to be, and slowly lowered themselves until the door was even with his window. Aralynn peered into the window but gasped at the outer sight of it. "Can you believe this? They have bars on his windows!"

George and Fred proceeded to trade spots driving. George, apparently, had had enough for one night. Ron leaned close to Harry's window, squinted into the darkness, and then waved excitedly. "Hiya, Harry!"

Harry, who had apparently been awakened by the sound of the car's engine, smiled through the bars. "Ron!" he exclaimed. "Fred; George… Ara! What are you doing here?"

Aralynn smiled at her brother. She wanted, so badly, to hug him. "Rescuing you."

"Rescuing me?" Harry asked, confused.

"We haven't gotten a letter all holiday, mate," said Ron. "Grew a bit worried. Get your trunk!"

"Don't forget Hedwig!" called Aralynn.

They waited while Harry gathered his things and packed them into his trunk. Once he was ready, he stood before the window with a frown. "How're you going to get me out?"

Ron grinned at him and attached a roped hook to the bars. "Stand back."

Harry took a few steps back. Fred drove the car forward. The tension on the rope brought the car, briefly, to a halt, but shortly pulled the bars (and, unfortunately, the whole window) right off. Ron threw the door open, and the Weasleys began pulling Harry's trunk carefully inside. They then pulled Hedwig and her cage inside. Harry climbed into the frame of the window and leaned toward the car. Vernon Dursley came barging straight into Harry's room. He was waving his hands wildly and calling loudly for his wife. "Petunia!" he cried. "The boy's escaping! His freaky little friends have come to get him!"

Aralynn looked Vernon straight in the face. "It's  _Lily!_ " he called. "Er—no… the  _girl!_ "

Vernon went to snatch Harry's ankle and pull him back inside, but Aralynn and Ron forced him into the car before he could. They closed the door and Fred quickly sped away from the house, but not before activating the invisibility shield. They left feeling rather satisfied. They had been successful in their rescue mission.

Harry, who was in the backseat with Aralynn, turned to his sister. "I can't believe you've come to  _rescue_  me."

Aralynn smiled sheepishly at Harry. "It's the least I could do."

"I can't even begin to explain how  _great_  it is to see all of you," said Harry. "This is definitely the best day of my entire summer holiday."

Ron turned in the seat and smiled at Harry. "It's great to see you, too, mate. What happened to you, though? You haven't responded to any of our letters."

Harry proceeded to explain that, for one, the Dursleys wouldn't allow him to uncage Hedwig. They wanted any part of his wizarding life completely contained and away from their perfectly normal existences. He then went on to tell them all about the House Elf, Dobby, who had come to visit him not too far back. "Dobby intercepted all of my letters and kept them away from me. He wouldn't really explain why, other than the fact that he  _really_  didn't want me to go back to Hogwarts."

Aralynn furrowed her eyebrows. "That's rather strange. Why wouldn't he want you to go back to school?"

Harry school his head. "He wouldn't explain. All he said is that it's not safe for me there. I guess, in turn, that would mean it isn't safe for you, either."

Ron shook his head. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Hogwarts is the safest place to be, especially with Dumbledore around."

Aralynn eyed Ron. "Is it the safest place, Ron?  _Is_ it? Last year alone, there was a troll in the school, a three-headed attack and guard dog,  _and_  a staff member who was working for Lord Voldemort  _and_  was allowing him to live off of his body—who, by the way, tried to  _kill_  Harry and me. That doesn't sound very safe to you, does it?"

Ron grimaced. "Good point."

" _Especially_  considering Lord Voldemort was there the  _entire_  time."

"Ara, I  _really_  wish you wouldn't say the name."

Aralynn cocked an eyebrow. "Why not? I'm not afraid."

Harry shook his head. "I'm not afraid, either. Besides, Dumbledore told us that we  _should_  say his name. He said, 'Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself.' I think that's a wise thing to live by."

Aralynn nodded. "So, you'll just have to deal with his name being said, Ron."

Harry turned to his sister. "Do you not trust Dumbledore?"

Aralynn tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"

Harry shrugged slowly. "Just by the way you talked about Hogwarts being unsafe. It seemed… almost like a dig at Dumbledore."

Aralynn frowned and peered out the window. "To be honest, Harry, I've been questioning a lot of things that Dumbledore has done lately. Bringing unnecessary harm to the school with the dog, not being more careful when hiring his staff, and…  _more_."

Harry furrowed his brow. "More? What else?"

The girl shook her head. "I don't think it's a great idea for me to keep bashing Dumbledore in front of you. I know how much you look up to and respect him, and I don't want anything I say, or think, to influence how you see him."

Harry nodded. "I hope you come to trust him one day, too, Ara."

"It's not that I  _don't_  trust him," Aralynn pointed out. "Just questioning his methods, really."

Harry smiled at her. "Well, either way. I do hope you come to… feel that he's done right by you."

Aralynn nodded but was frowning.  _It's not me that he hasn't done right by_ , she thought.  _It's you, Harry. You're the one he has let down_.

* * *

By the time they arrived at The Burrow, it was well into the morning. There was absolutely no way that their mother hadn't woken up and discovered that they were gone by now. Fred, George, and Ron seemed to believe that, if they were quiet, they would be able to slip back upstairs and pretend that they had overslept. Aralynn, however, was not so sure. She thought, surely, that Molly had figured out that they were gone… and with the car, no less. It was a terrifying thought. Molly Weasley was quite a formidable woman when she wanted to be.

They exited the Ford Anglia, as quietly as they could, and helped Harry bring Hedwig, and his trunk, into the house. They set the items down as quietly as possible. So far, there hadn't been a single peep. They were starting to feel like they were in the clear. That was, until Molly Weasley came bursting into the kitchen. She looked absolutely wild. "Where  _have_  you been!?" she screamed. "I wake up, and then I wait and wait for you to come down for breakfast, but you never did! So, I went upstairs to wake you up, thinking you were being lazy and oversleeping, and what do I find!? Beds empty! There's no note—the car is  _gone!_  Where on  _earth_  did you go!?"

Aralynn stepped in. "We went to get Harry," she said, gesturing to her brother, who was looking small in the shadow of Molly's wrath.

Molly smiled sweetly at Harry. "Now, don't worry, dear. I don't blame you in the slightest and I welcome you to our home." Then, she turned on her children. The sweetness immediately melted away. "Are you four  _mad!?_  You could have been seen! YOU COULD HAVE DIED!"

Ron's face was growing red. "Mum, they had bars on Harry's windows! They were…  _starving_  him. He was like a prisoner!"

Molly fumed and pointed a finger at her son. "You had best hope I don't put bars on  _your_  windows, Ronald Weasley!"

"It was my idea," said Aralynn. "I was worried about Harry, since he hadn't written all summer. I couldn't wait until Friday for you and Dad to go and get him. I  _had_  to know that he was okay."

"YOU  _COULD_  HAVE  _DIED!_ " Molly shouted again. "Oh, you children are going to put me into an early grave, you mark my words!"

She then went about, cleaning in her rage. It didn't take long for her to calm down and begin preparing breakfast, though. Once she began cooking, she shifted back to her generally sweet and compassionate disposition. The family, including Harry, were all gathered around the table, laughing and waiting for their food. Harry was looking around at everything, seeming to be quite happy and completely dazed. Aralynn nudged him. "Are you alright?"

"Brilliant," Harry answered with a smile. "This place is wonderful. You're really lucky to live here, Ara."

Aralynn's expression dropped. "I know," she said quietly. "I'm sorry that you have to live with our horrible aunt and uncle, Harry. I wish there was something I could do to get you out of there. I would have you come live here, if I could."

"It's not your fault, Ara. I was a little… upset about the situation for a while, but you didn't choose to be here. You shouldn't feel responsible."

"I feel guilty, though. I was given such a wondrous life, and you were given… cruelty. I definitely don't think it's fair. I would trade places with you if I could."

"I wouldn't want you to. I'm glad you're able to live somewhere that's so… open and caring. I might wish  _this_  for myself, but I don't wish  _my_  life on anyone else."

"You can have that one day," said Aralynn. "After Hogwarts, I mean. We could live together for a while. Then you would know what it's like to live with someone who cares about you and isn't going to treat you like you're disposable."

Harry smiled softly at Aralynn. "I'd like that."

Arthur Weasley, the patriarch of the family, came through the door looking rather exhausted, but still spritely. Harry turned to look at the man with balding red hair. "Nine raids!" exclaimed Arthur. " _Nine!_  Work has been absolutely maddening, I'll tell you."

Molly tottered over to kiss his cheek. "Good morning, dear."

Arthur sat at the head of the table. "Good morning, Weasleys!" He didn't even seem to notice that Harry was there.

Harry glanced to Aralynn and Ron. "What are raids?"

"He works at the Ministry of Magic," said Aralynn.

Ron nodded. "In the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. He loves Muggles, really. They fascinate him, for some reason. Doesn't make sense to me. I've never found Muggles to be all that interesting, really."

As Molly came around to put food on their plates, Arthur finally seemed to hone in on Harry. Aralynn wondered if he finally noticed that Harry wasn't his by the sight of the black hair. "Who are you?"

Harry grinned at him. "Harry Potter."

Arthur stared at him. "Good lord. Are you really?"

Aralynn chuckled quietly, shaking her head. "Yes, Dad. That's  _really_  Harry."

"Remarkable!" Arthur exclaimed. "We've heard all about you from Ron, and of course, Aralynn. When did you get here?"

Molly intervened. "This  _morning_. Last night your sons and daughter flew that enchanted car of yours to Surrey and back!"

A wide smile split over Arthur's face. "Did you really? How did it go?"

" _Arthur!_ "

The man went meek. "I mean… that was very reckless of you, kids. Very, very reckless, indeed."

Harry was trying his best not to laugh. He began eating with the rest of them, seeming rather content where he was.

Aralynn looked at Arthur. "Dad, Harry lives with our aunt and uncle. They're Muggles."

Arthur brightened. "Ah! Muggles, are they now?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Excellent! Tell me, Harry," the man paused, and leaned closer to Harry, as if what he was about to ask was of the utmost importance, "—what  _exactly_  is the function of a rubber duck?"

Aralynn furrowed her eyebrows. Of all the questions her father could have asked, he chose  _that_ one? Well, there had always been several reasons why she loved him so much, and his odd inquiring about such seemingly simple things was definitely one of those reasons.

Harry was trying to explain, to the best of his ability, how a rubber duck worked, and what its exact function was. Arthur, of course, was listening rather intently. They were all rather submerged in their own actions when they were pulled out of it by the sound of a loud crashing.

Molly went to the window and shook her head. "Errol, you ruddy old bird."

"Mail's here, Molly?" asked Arthur.

"Yes, dear. Hogwarts letters! Oh, look at that—they've even provided us with Harry's."

Arthur smiled. "Seems Dumbledore knows you're here, Harry."

Harry blinked. "He knows everything, doesn't he?"

Arthur laughed. "Just about."

Molly passed out the letters. The children all tore into them, looking over the supply list. The Weasleys were frowning, but Harry didn't seem to understand why. He leaned closer to his sister. "What's wrong? Why do you all seem… unhappy?"

"More that we're worried," answered Aralynn. "We need a lot of new supplies this year. Not sure if we're going to be able to afford it."

"You can," said Harry. Aralynn raised an eyebrow. "Well… I inherited quite the fortune from our parents, but… it also belongs to you. You can afford these things, too."

Aralynn frowned. "I can't just leave them out to dry while I roam around with my fancy new equipment, Harry."

"Mum," said Fred. "These supplies are going to get expensive."

Molly took the list and looked it over. "We'll manage, dear, not to worry."

Aralynn eyed the supply list. "What's wrong with this layout of books?"

Ginny looked at Aralynn. "They're all written by Gilderoy Lockhart."

Aralynn nodded. "Aside from Miranda Goshawk's text."

"Oh, a marvelous man!" Molly exclaimed. "A rather brave man. He travels the world and handles beasts of all varieties."

Ron shook his head and leaned over to Harry. "Mum fancies him."

Once breakfast was over, Molly shooed them away from the table. She and Arthur had to figure out how they were going to afford all of the supplies for their children. Harry, Aralynn, and Ron went outside. Since Molly had ordered Ron, Aralynn, Fred, and George to de-gnome the garden because of their misdeed, they showed Harry how to do it. They spent the day showing him around The Burrow and explaining all about living a life in the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts. Harry was quite interested to hear all of it, really. He had never been around so much magic before and he frequently told Aralynn and Ron how blessed he felt to be there now.

* * *

When nighttime came, a situation about the lack of a bed for Harry had to be resolved. Aralynn, therefore, decided to sleep with Ginny in her bedroom so that Harry would be able to take her bed. It was the middle of the night and it seemed that everybody besides Aralynn was asleep. She was sharing a bed with Ginny, who was snoring softly in her ear. She simply stared up at the ceiling, feeling grateful that she and her adoptive brothers were able to go and help Harry.

Aralynn grabbed her robe, wrapped it around her, and crept to the top of The Burrow. She slipped inside of her and Ron's bedroom, watching Harry as he slept in her bed. She watched him for a while, still trying to figure how in the world she had a twin brother that she had never known about. She tiptoed over to the bed Harry was in and crawled into it. She curled up close to her brother and instantly fell asleep. She felt safe.

Next to Harry was the only place she belonged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews and love are motivation.


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